Sample vessels

• US 9,005,551 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2011
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Molecular Systems (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Molecular Systems (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Chen, Shuqi, Chen, Lingjun
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kingan, Timothy G
• Application Number:
  US13/022,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20110143968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,527 Days
• US Class Current: 422/559
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1427 Multiple blood sampling, e.g. at periodic or pre-established intervals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1438 using pre-evacuated means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15003 for venous or arterial blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150221 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150251 Collection chamber divided into at least two compartments, e.g. for division of samples injection syringes having more than one chamber A61M5/19; syringes for injection of two or more media A61M5/2448, A61M5/284; sample preparation for further analysis A61B5/150755
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150259 Improved gripping, e.g. with high friction pattern or projections on the housing surface or an ergonometric shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150351 Caps, stoppers or lids for sealing or closing a blood collection vessel or container, e.g. a test-tube or syringe barrel caps for bottles or containers in general B65D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150358 Strips for collecting blood, e.g. absorbent optical reagent test strips G01N21/8483; chemical reagent test strips G01N33/4875, G01N33/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150389 Hollow piercing elements, e.g. canulas, needles, for piercing the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150488 Details of construction of shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150717 manually removed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150755 Blood sample preparation for further analysis, e.g. by separating blood components or by mixing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150786 Optical identification systems, e.g. bar codes, colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/026 Fluid interfacing between devices or objects, e.g. connectors, inlet details
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/021 Identification, e.g. bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/046 Function or devices integrated in the closure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/047 Additional chamber, reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0636 Integrated biosensor, microarrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0832 : cylindrical, tube shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 : Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/123 : Flexible; Elastomeric
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0481 : squeezing of channels or chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0655 : pinch valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0694 : vents used to stop and induce flow, backpressure valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502 : with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures centrifugal-type cuvettes G01N21/07; analysis by separation into components G01N30/00; automatic analysers G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 : by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/505 : flexible containers not provided for above
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50825 : Closing or opening means, corks, bungs closures for containers B65D; means for removing stoppers B67B7/02

Abstract

A sample vessel may include a segmented tubule and an interface receiving the tubule. The segmented tubule may include an opening for receiving a sample material and at least one compressible section, the at least one compressible section having a wall constructed at least partially from a material having sufficient flexibility to permit compression of opposed sections of the wall into contact with one another, and at least two segments of the tubule being fluidically isolated from one another by a bonding of a fluid-tight seal between opposed sections of the tubule wall, wherein said fluid-tight seal irreversibly opens upon application of fluid pressure greater than a threshold value to permit selective fluid communication between the opposed sections. The interface may facilitate delivery of a sample material to the tubule through the opening.

Claims

1. A sample vessel, comprising:

a segmented tubule with walls that oppose one another having an opening for receiving a sample material,

at least one compressible section, the at least one compressible section having a wall constructed at least partially from a material having sufficient flexibility to permit compression of opposed sections of the wall into contact with one another, and

at least two segments of the tubule being fluidically isolated from one another by a fluid-tight seal between opposed sections of the tubule wall bonded to one another, wherein said fluid-tight seal is an irreversible pressure gate which irreversibly opens upon application of fluid pressure greater than a threshold value to permit selective fluid communication between the opposed sections; and

an interface in fluid communication with the opening of the tubule,

wherein the sample vessel further comprises an adapter attached to the tubule, the adapter having increased rigidity compared to the tubule, and

wherein the adapter comprises a generally planar tab.

2. The sample vessel of claim 1, further comprising at least one reagent contained within a segment of the tubule, the reagent being separated from other reagents or sample by fluid-tight seal.

3. The sample vessel of claim 1, further comprising a generally rigid container receiving at least a portion of the tubule.

4. The sample vessel of claim 1, wherein the adapter comprises a ring to which the tubule is attached at the tubule opening.

5. The sample vessel of claim 1, wherein the adapter facilitates connection of the sample vessel to an external device.

6. The sample vessel of claim 1, wherein the adapter coextensive with the tubule.

7. The sample vessel of claim 1, wherein the tubule comprises a plurality of layers, and wherein a first layer having a first permeability and a second layer exterior to the first layer and having a second permeability lesser than the first permeability.

8. The sample vessel of claim 7, wherein the second layer is constructed of a metal foil.

9. The sample vessel of claim 1, wherein the tubule comprises a plurality of lumens aligned in parallel along the tubule.

10. The sample vessel of claim 9, wherein at least one lumen is of a different size or shape than another lumen of the plurality of lumens.

11. The sample vessel of claim 9, further comprising a pressure gate between two lumens of the plurality of lumens to permit selective fluid communication between the two lumens.

12. The sample vessel of claim 9, wherein opposed portions of the wall of the tubule are shaped into contact to form a longitudinally extending seam that divides the tubule into at least two lumens that extend generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the sample vessel.

13. The sample vessel of claim 1, further comprising at least one groove formed in a wall of the tubule, the at least one groove forming at least one of a micro-fluidic channel, a fixed volume micro-cup, or a combination thereof.

14. The sample vessel of claim 1, wherein the interface includes a chamber in fluid communication with the tubule for selectively receiving a volume of sample material and/or reagent from the tubule.

15. The sample vessel of claim 1, further comprising a removable and replaceable cover to selectively open and close the interface.

16. The sample vessel of claim 1, further comprising a seal-sealing injection channel, the injection channel being normally substantially free of sample material and capable of fluid communication with the tubule.

17. The sample vessel of claim 1, further comprising a microarray device embedded on an interior wall surface of the tubule, the microarray having a plurality of reagent coated zones for simultaneous analysis of a plurality of analytes.

18. The sample vessel of claim 1, further comprising a filter disposed within the tubule to separate selected components of a fluid within the tubule from other components of the fluid within the tubule.

19. The sample vessel of claim 1, wherein the interface includes an instrument for obtaining a sample.

20. The sample vessel of claim 1, wherein a portion of the tubule is at least partially evacuated.

21. The sample vessel of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the wall of the tubule is coated with a layer of material to provide a surface property to the wall.

22. The sample vessel of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional tubule, the tubules arranged to form a row.

23. The sample vessel of claim 1, wherein the fluid-tight seal that irreversibly opens upon application of fluid pressure greater than a threshold value spans the tubule'"'"'s width.

24. The sample vessel of claim 23, which comprises a linear contiguous array of compressible segments along the vessel, each spanning the tubule'"'"'s width, and each fluidically isolated from an adjacent segment by a fluid-tight seal, formed by a bonding between opposed sections of the tubule wall, that irreversibly opens upon application of fluid pressure greater than a threshold value and that spans the tubule'"'"'s width.